Pies and Tarts
by patience-young-grasshopper
Summary: In which Robert never gets the chance to scream at Ms. Bunting to leave during dinner because...well Tom already has. not TLA compliant.


**So I finished season 5…I am so emotionally unstable now! I've got to know what happens because they don't show him physically going to the train station so what will happen. And if Fellowes made the wish of Carson/Ms Hughes happen then maybe brary isn't so crazy. I read several things on tumblr and after watching the season finale (which was filled with brary) I think it may be a possibility although I won't put all my eggs in one basket yet. Or perhaps I already have. Anyways I got inspired by a lot, and I'm still going to be slow to writing again after finishing my other story, but I will be updating more stories and I hope some of you will write Mary/Tom stories, all the ones I've read (which I'm pretty sure is literally every single one) are written well. Also, side note that this is not To Love Again compliant. Please review. **

"Lady Rose invited me." He heard Sarah Bunting say and he knew his face must've shown the surprise. After her first visit, well, he thought it would be clear to not invite her back. He knew Rose had a big heart though and wasn't satisfied with the thought of him being "alone". Sure, he was outnumbered in his beliefs, but alone? No, he didn't consider himself alone.

Still, he couldn't kick her out, he wasn't that rude.

"Well, how kind of her. It's nice to see you again."

"Am I welcomed again?"

"I'm-"

"No, I know I am welcomed by you. I'm not blind though and it looks as if the only other person happy to see my presence is Lady Rose."

"That's not true."

"I could hardly expect open arms from these type of people, but aren't they supposed to be the masters of masking their true feelings?"

Tom frowned but instead replied, "Lady Grantham is happy to see you."

He watched Sarah peek around his shoulder and glance at Cora Crawley who was engaged with Isobel and Rose.

"I suppose she just wants to get on my good side to make up for his _Lordship_ and his actions at the previous dinner. Although nothing they try to say will make me forget it," she said with a small laugh.

"That is my father-in-law you're talking about."

"Oh, I know Tom. And I do feel sorry for you to be stuck in this situation with them."

"Let's move on to a lighter subject. Have you met Lady Edith properly?"

Before she could answer he steered them over towards the blonde who sat on the couch looking glum. He felt the guilt rising as he said nothing to defend Sybil's family. His family.

He glanced around the room and saw Mary and Robert talking. His heart yearned for him to join them but he knew it wouldn't be smart to let Sarah out of his sight.

"Do you agree, Tom?"

He faced the two ladies again and opened his mouth but no words came out.

"I'm sure Mr. Branson supports the new Prime Minister," said Sarah quickly.

Oh, so that's what they had been talking about.

"It's…complicated," he replied.

"Shall we go in for dinner?" said Robert as he moved to steer the small crowd towards the dining room.

Tom let Sarah walk a little in front of him. He eyed the seating chart and felt annoyed as he realized Mary was on the opposite side of the table as him.

As dinner was being served, and small talk made, Tom realized he had never felt so uncomfortable.

Sarah was chatting quietly by him, but it was as if a wall was built and her voice could not penetrate it.

He had just been served the beef and taken a small bite when she turned completely towards him.

"So, who's the most unbearable in this house?"

He started coughing and hastily drank part of his water.

"Are you alright?" he heard Mary and Cora ask at the same time.

"Yes, thank you," he muttered as he glanced at Sarah. Her eyebrows were raised as she waited for an answer. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, who do you dislike the most of this family? I suspect it's not Lord Grantham although he's quite the stubborn man set in his ways. You know…I've heard rumors and just talk."

"What?"

"Well, I secretly think Lady Mary is the worst."

Tom set his drink down hard and watched the wine slosh around, nearly escaping the rim of the glass.

"I don't know what you've heard about Lady Mary, but it's wrong. If you've heard anything bad, it's wrong."

He looked at the other end of the table to see Mary laughing softly as she talked with Violet.

The entire dinner was stiff and Tom knew it wouldn't be calm till Sarah Bunting left.

It was when desert was being served that she started to make snobby remarks. And when he was younger he thought only the aristocrats could be snobbish. He was wrong.

"Well, regardless. I do think Lady Mary must be the worst. And I don't mean about her overall haughty looks and appearance or how cold hearted she seems to be towards everyone, even her family. Well I've heard talk. What could be worse than a tart?"

Tom gripped his napkin and slowly asked, "What did you just say?"

"I said _Lady_ Mary must be the worst because she's a tart."

"Get out." The words flew out before he registered what he was saying. The look of shock appeared on her face a second later. She set her fork down and simply sat there looking at him. "Get out."

"Tom?"

He turned to see the entire table staring at him in shock and confusion. He was mad though and his judgment was clouded by Ms. Bunting's voice calling Mary a tart over and over.

"I don't understand," she finally said. Tom stood up, knowing he had to get everything out.

"You've disrespected my family and continued to try and stir up trouble. I can't sit by and do nothing. I won't let you insult her that way. You don't know her the way I do. You don't know any of them at all. Get out because I know your type and you will never consider these people as humans. Its best you leave. The car can take you back to the village…if that's alright Mr. Carson," he added as an afterthought.

"Quite alright indeed, Mr. Branson," replied Carson, his voice actually filled with pride. "I'll escort you out Ms. Bunting. It's for the best."

"I guess I was wrong," she said as she tried to get the last word in, "I guess you are one of them."

"Not quite. But I'm proud to call these people my family."

He sat back down and nervously glanced at the rest of the family. Robert has a look of pride and impressment and the rest were in shock. Except Mary who had a look of curiosity. Tom knew if she asked him what Ms. Bunting said, he would succumb to her. After realizing how he felt, Tom Branson had trouble standing up to the great Lady Mary.

"Well, my pie is cold now," said Violet.

"Are you going to tell us what that much needed talk with her was about?" asked Robert.

"I'd rather not say. She offended me is all, and I realized she is not who I want to spend my time with. She helped me remember things, yes, but I'd rather enjoy these moments in life with you."

"On that lovely note, I must be off," said Isobel and Violet followed her. The two had been secretive lately.

"I suppose we should go up too," said Cora as she glanced around the room.

"I think I'll stay down a little longer, Mama," said Mary.

Tom knew with her tone that she planned on questioning him.

He was right.

As soon as the door shut behind Edith Mary had cornered him. "Tell me the reason why you had her leave that instant and not till everyone else started to leave."

"I told you, I'd rather not say," Tom replied as he refilled his glass.

"Tom, I thought we could trust each other, we are confidents. If it's something about Papa—"

"It's not."

"Well? Did she say something about Sybil? About the family? About Edith?" Mary asked. He could hear the sarcasm in her voice at her last suggestion.

"No, but it's not important. She's gone now."

"I cannot pretend to not be relieved. She riled Papa up in ways that are not good for him. I do wish you trusted me enough to tell me why you sent her away. Perhaps one day?"

"Mary, I assure you it's not that I don't trust you."

"Hmm."

"I got angry, that's it. She had been making comments all night. I shouldn't have been surprised. She was going on and on about everyone. I had enough and thought I would tell her if it's best we don't see each other after the dinner was over. I thought she wouldn't say anything else after she realized I love all of you. And then she called you a tart and I lost it."

He realized a moment too late that he had let it slip. He watched the fire illuminate Mary's face as her gloved hand covered her mouth.

"Mary, I didn't want you to know. I don't think you're that. You're strong enough to not care about her opinion. You are the strongest, smartest woman I know."

"A tart? Because I act and dress so much like one?"

Tom let his gaze drift from her hair to her face to the shimmery dress he was quite sure he hadn't seen on her till this night. His gaze fell too her shoes and the long gloves covering her slender arms and he quickly took another sip of his drink.

"Of course not. She just says things like that. You're far from a tart." Mary's face contorted and he hastily added, "I mean that in a good way. That is, well, you look beautiful in a beautiful sort of way."

Mary laughed at his words and leaned back against the couch.

"Does Ms. Bunting's absence mean you'll drop the entire America idea?"

Tom sighed and glanced at the woman across from him.

"I have to go. It's complicated, if you were me you would understand."

"If it's about Sybbie there is no question she would have a wonderful life here."

"I-I know."

"Then? What motives are there other than your daughter? Are we driving you away?"

"No. I consider all of you family."

"I'm afraid I don't understand then. Ms. Bunting is gone and yet this plan of yours is still in your head."

"Mary if I were to stay here. Well, I would be acting on impulses that should not be acted on."

"My, you're full of riddles," she said with a small smile.

"Mary—"

"Tom, it is clearly something we have done."

He quickly downed the rest of his drink and looked at her once again. Of course one drink couldn't get him drunk but he decided to tell her. He couldn't go through life not knowing. Of course she would probably throw him out of the house. If he were lucky she would not be so disgusted as to say "I'm flattered, but".

"Tom?"

"You have done something, Mary Crawley?"

"What?" she asked in horror.

"You have made me understand what all the men around here talked about when I first got here and again now. You have made me understand what it feels like to fall in love with you. I know it is the last thing either of us had in mind, really the very last from the moment we met. I know the real you though. The one that sings George to sleep some nights and tries to do the best for the county. I have never been so scared and happy to fall in love with someone, like I have with you. You're probably disgusted, and I realize that. I want you to know though, Mary someone in this world truly loves you. Although you might not want it, someone does. I-I have to leave for Boston now. If I do not, well, I fear something would happen, something worse than my broken heart. And I want to keep our friendship."

"May I say something?"

Tom glanced at her, "Of course."

"I would like to say how happy I am that I am not at all as readable as Edith was starting to say I was."

"What?"

"Well," she said with a laugh, "I'm in love with you Tom Branson."

"You're not just saying that to make me stay?"

"That is the entire reason I have been begging for you to stay. My darling, I want to live life here at Downton with you."

That was all Tom needed to hear as he pulled her into his arms.

Her lips were as soft as he imagined.

**Hope you liked, Review please.**


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